Project Engineer at Water Mission in MW

Water Mission is a Christian engineering nonprofit that builds safe water solutions for people in developing countries, refugee camps, and disaster areas. Since 2001, Water Mission has served more than 8 million people in 60 countries, sharing safe water and the message of God’s love. Working at Water Mission is as much a calling as it is a career, and we are searching for people with the courage, passion, and drive to help us change the world. Read more about our Statement of Faith and Our Christian Mission.

Position Summary: Under the direction of the Projects Engineer, the Project Engineer is responsible for the planning, assessment, design, implementation, commissioning, and monitoring of safe water supply projects in accordance with Water Mission's engineering standards, donor requirements, and organizational procedures. The Project Engineer provides technical leadership and oversight to Engineering Technicians, contractors, consultants, and other field teams throughout the project lifecycle. The role ensures that water supply systems are technically sound, cost-effective, sustainable, and delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and within the approved scope of work. The position works collaboratively with Community Development, Monitoring & Evaluation, Finance, Supply Chain, Operations, and external stakeholders to ensure effective project delivery and the long-term sustainability of safe water systems.
The position is based in Mangochi, Malawi, and requires frequent travel to project locations throughout Malawi, with occasional travel to other Water Mission country programs as operationally required.
Our Culture: Our culture: As an employee of Water Mission Malawi, the Project Engineer is responsible for developing a biblical worldview culture that leads to God-honoring excellence in all their work and reinforcing the following: providing accurate data, empowering staff to have the skills and mindset needed to acknowledge mistakes or problems as opportunities to find appropriate solutions, and empowering staff to consistently work for excellence in solutions that are consistent with Water Mission’s mission, vision, values, and standards.
1.0 Duties and Responsibilities
1.1 Mission Responsibilities
• Maintain a strong Christian witness and model servant leadership to colleagues, partners, communities, donors, and the public.
• Participate in prayer before and after team meetings and engage in biblically based staff devotions.
• Demonstrate Water Mission's core values of Love, Excellence, and Integrity in all aspects of work.
• Support the integration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through appropriate words and actions consistent with Water Mission's mission.
• Promote a culture of excellence, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement across the organization.
1.2 Project Planning and Engineering Design
• Conduct technical assessments, feasibility studies, and site investigations for proposed water supply projects; analyze findings and prepare detailed technical reports and recommendations.
• Conduct water resource assessments, water quality analyses, yield testing, and topographical surveys to inform engineering designs.
• Design sustainable rural and institutional water supply systems, including water abstraction, treatment, storage, transmission, and distribution infrastructure.
• Prepare hydraulic designs, pipeline layouts, pump-sizing calculations, water-demand analyses, and engineering drawings.
• Design solar-powered water pumping systems and associated electrical infrastructure.
• Prepare technical specifications, Bills of Quantities (BoQs), cost estimates, scopes of work, and implementation schedules.
• Ensure all engineering designs comply with Water Mission standards, applicable national regulations, and recognized engineering practices.
1.3 Project Implementation and Construction Management
• Lead the implementation of water supply infrastructure projects from inception through construction, commissioning, and handover.
• Supervise and provide technical direction to Engineering Technicians, contractors, drillers, consultants, and community labor during project implementation.
• Monitor project progress to ensure compliance with approved designs, technical specifications, quality standards, budgets, scopes of work, and implementation schedules.
• Conduct routine site inspections and quality assurance and quality control reviews throughout project implementation.
• Verify the quality and completeness of works before commissioning and project handover.
• Identify, troubleshoot, and resolve technical challenges arising during project implementation.
• Coordinate corrective actions where construction or installation works do not meet approved specifications or quality requirements.
1.4 Water Systems Operations and Sustainability
• Support the commissioning, testing, and performance verification of completed water supply systems.
• Monitor the operational performance of water systems and recommend improvements to enhance reliability, efficiency, and long-term sustainability.
• Provide technical support for the rehabilitation, expansion, and optimization of existing water supply systems.
• Lead technical investigations into system failures, identify root causes, and develop and implement appropriate corrective actions.
• Provide engineering support for disaster response assessments and emergency water system installations when required.
1.5 Technical Leadership and Capacity Building
• Provide technical leadership, supervision, mentoring, and coaching to Engineering Technicians and other field personnel.
• Strengthen the technical capacity of project teams through on-the-job coaching, knowledge sharing, and formal training.
• Train Water User Committees, system operators, and other community stakeholders in the proper operation and preventive maintenance of completed water systems.
• Promote engineering innovation, standardization, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement across Water Mission projects.
1.6 Reporting and Documentation
• Prepare high-quality engineering assessment reports, design reports, project implementation reports, commissioning reports, and monthly progress reports.
• Review technical documentation prepared by Engineering Technicians and provide appropriate technical guidance and approval within delegated authority.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date engineering drawings, project records, photographs, GPS data, calculations, and other technical documentation.
• Prepare technical reports and presentations for management, partners, donors, government authorities, and regulatory agencies.
• Ensure engineering documentation is properly maintained and readily available for project monitoring, audits, evaluations, and future reference.
1.7 Health, Safety, and Compliance
• Ensure all engineering activities comply with Water Mission's health, safety, environmental, safeguarding, and quality standards.
• Promote and enforce safe working practices during construction, installation, commissioning, operation, and maintenance activities.
• Ensure contractors, consultants, and technical teams comply with approved engineering specifications, safety requirements, and organizational procedures.
• Identify project-related safety risks and ensure appropriate mitigation measures are implemented.
1.8 Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement
• Work closely with Community Development, Finance, Supply Chain, Monitoring & Evaluation, Operations, and other teams to ensure coordinated and successful project delivery.
• Build and maintain productive professional relationships with government agencies, consultants, contractors, suppliers, communities, and implementing partners.
• Represent Water Mission at technical meetings, project site visits, coordination meetings, and other stakeholder engagements as delegated.
• Provide technical input to project planning, procurement, budgeting, proposal development, and stakeholder reporting as required.
1.9 Other Responsibilities
• Support emergency and disaster response activities as assigned.
• Participate in organizational training, professional development, and continuous learning opportunities.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Supervisor.
2.0 Qualifications, Skills, and Experience
2.1 Relationship and Alignment
• Personal and growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Alignment with Water Mission's Statement of Faith and core values of Love, Excellence, and Integrity.
• Demonstrated commitment to servant leadership, integrity, accountability, and faithful stewardship of donor resources.
2.2 Education and Experience
• Bachelor's degree in Water Engineering is preferred.
• Alternatively, a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Irrigation Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline, with demonstrated experience in water supply engineering.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in the assessment, planning, design, and implementation of rural or institutional WASH and water supply projects.
• Registration as a Graduate Engineer or Professional Engineer with the Malawi Engineering Institution (MEI), or eligibility for registration.
• Demonstrated experience in hydraulic design, water treatment, solar-powered water systems, and construction supervision.
• Experience working with an International Non-Governmental Organization (INGO) or on donor-funded development projects is an advantage.
• Possession of a valid Class B driver's license.
• Ability to drive a manual-transmission 4x4 vehicle.
2.3 Skills and Abilities
• Sound technical knowledge of rural water supply systems, groundwater development, water treatment technologies, hydraulic design, and water distribution systems.
• Proficiency in engineering design and modeling software, including EPANET and AutoCAD; experience with Civil 3D is preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Strong understanding of solar-powered pumping systems and electromechanical water infrastructure.
• Excellent analytical, engineering design, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong project planning, construction supervision, quality assurance, and contract-management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, technical report-writing, and presentation skills.
• Strong leadership, coaching, supervision, and team-development abilities.
• High level of integrity, accountability, professionalism, and attention to detail.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple projects and competing priorities while meeting deadlines.
• Ability to work collaboratively within multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively within Malawi and occasionally to other Water Mission country programs.